Video Intercom Installation
Last updated September 2026 by the Douglas Security System team, licensed and insured NYC intercom specialists with over 35 years of experience.
A video intercom lets you see who’s at the door before you let them in. For apartment buildings, it means tenants can screen visitors and couriers from a screen or their phones. For houses, it means you can answer the door from the kitchen, the bedroom, or the office across town. For businesses, it means staff can check visitors without walking to the entrance.
Douglas Security System (DSS) has installed and repaired intercom and security systems in New York for over 35 years. We install video intercoms in apartment buildings, co-ops, condos, private houses, townhouses, offices, and storefronts across Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island, and Long Island. Every installation starts with a free on-site survey and a clear quote. Call (212) 262-2820 to schedule one.
A video intercom has a few main parts, and a good installation gets each one right:
If any one of these is undersized or poorly installed, the whole system suffers. That’s why we plan the full system, not just the panel at the door.
There are three common types of video intercom, and each suits different buildings:
Many NYC buildings end up with a hybrid: a new video entrance panel with phone access that works alongside the existing apartment units. If that’s your situation, read our guide to converting an audio intercom to video. For brand-new systems, we’ll recommend the type that fits your wiring, budget, and how your building is used.
Apartment buildings need a system that handles many apartments, heavy daily use, and a steady stream of deliveries. When we install a video intercom in a multi-tenant building, we plan for:
For large buildings, a multi-tenant system like the Aiphone GT Series with GT-1C7 tenant stations is a common choice. For co-ops and condos that want a touch screen and phone access, the Comelit Ultra Touch is popular.
For a house, a video intercom replaces the old doorbell or buzzer with a camera at the door and a screen inside. A typical installation includes one outdoor door station, one or two indoor monitors, app access for your phone, and, if you want it, an electric strike or gate release so you can open the door remotely.
A durable, vandal-resistant door station like the Aiphone JP-DV is a common choice for houses and small buildings. Two-family homes get a separate call button and monitor for each unit, so each household answers only its own visitors. Townhouses with a front gate can add a gate station with remote release.
Offices, medical practices, and storefronts use video intercoms to screen visitors before opening the door. A commercial installation often includes a video entrance panel, a desk station or app for the front desk, and integration with keypads or card readers for staff. Many businesses also add security cameras at the entrance so there’s a record of who comes and goes.
For small offices, a keypad like the Aiphone AC-10S keypad next to the video panel lets staff enter with a code while visitors call in. For larger sites, we can connect several doors so one person can manage all the entrances from one place.
New construction and gut renovations are the best time to install a video intercom, because walls are open and cable can be run cleanly. If you’re building or renovating, bring us in early:
Planning early usually means a cleaner installation, fewer change orders, and a system that’s ready on move-in day.
We install systems from brands we trust and know how to service:
We’ll recommend a brand and model based on your property, not on what’s easiest for us to sell.
Modern video intercoms can do a lot. These are the features our customers ask about most:
You don’t need every feature. We’ll help you choose the ones that matter for your building and budget.
A good installation starts with a careful survey. When we visit, we check:
After the survey, you get a written quote with the equipment, the work, and the price, plus options when there’s more than one good way to do the job.
It depends on the size of the property and how much wiring is needed. A video door station for a private house is often installed in one visit. A new entrance panel for a small building that can reuse good wiring may take a day or two of on-site work. Full systems in large buildings, or installs that need new cable to every apartment, take longer and are usually scheduled in stages to keep the entrance working. We give you a timeline with your quote, so you know what to expect before we start.
Prices depend on the number of units and entrances, the equipment, the condition of the wiring, and the door hardware. Here are average NYC ranges from published installer pricing:
These are average New York prices, not a fixed price list from DSS. We give you a free quote after the survey. For more detail, see our intercom cost guide, and ask about our no monthly fee intercom systems.
In New York City, class A multiple dwellings built or converted after January 1, 1968, with eight or more apartments must have a working intercom with two-way voice and a door release from each apartment. The rule comes from Section 50-a of the New York Multiple Dwelling Law. Older buildings must add one when a majority of tenants request it in writing. A video system meets this requirement as long as the voice and door release work from each apartment. Read more about NYC intercom requirements.
Other approvals to plan for:
The best time to add access control and cameras is during the intercom installation, when the technician is already on site and cable can be run at the same time. Common additions include keypads like the Aiphone AC-10S keypad, key fob and card readers for residents and staff, and security cameras at entrances, lobbies, mailrooms, and package areas. Tying them together gives you one system to manage instead of three.
On Comelit video intercom installs, we offer a 3-year guarantee on Comelit material and a 1-year guarantee on service and labor. Other brands come with the manufacturer’s warranty, and we explain exactly what it covers before we start. After installation, you have one company to call for questions, changes, and intercom repair. We also help when you need to add users, update the directory, or add another entrance later.
A video door station for a house typically costs about $700 to $1,600 installed, and a video intercom for a small building with one entrance typically costs about $4,000 to $5,000 or more. These are average NYC prices. We give you a free quote after a site survey.
A house is often done in one visit. A new entrance panel for a small building may take a day or two of on-site work. Large buildings and installs that need new cable take longer, and we give you a timeline with your quote.
In many buildings, yes. Our Comelit video intercom works alongside existing intercom units, so you can add video and phone access without rewiring the whole building. We test the wiring during the survey.
Wired systems are reliable and don’t depend on Wi-Fi. IP systems are flexible and easy to expand, and they suit new construction and offices. We recommend the type that fits your wiring, budget, and building.
Yes, with an app-enabled system. The Comelit Ultra Touch includes 15 app licenses, so tenants can see visitors, talk to them, and open the door from their phones.
Not with our Comelit systems. They’re a one-time investment with no monthly payment. Some cloud-based systems from other brands have ongoing fees, and we explain any recurring costs before you buy.
Yes. We install video door stations, indoor monitors, app access, and gate or door release for houses, townhouses, and two-family homes.
Yes. We work with owners, contractors, and electricians to plan the wiring before the walls close, then install and program the system near the end of the project.
We install Comelit, Aiphone, and DNAKE systems, including the Comelit Ultra Touch, the Aiphone GT Series and JP-DV, and the DNAKE S617.
Yes, as long as it provides two-way voice communication and a door release from each apartment, as required under Section 50-a of the New York Multiple Dwelling Law.
Yes. We install keypads, key fob and card readers, and security cameras, and adding them during the intercom installation usually costs less than adding them later.
We plan the work to keep the entrance offline for as little time as possible. For larger buildings, we schedule the switch in stages and tell you in advance what residents should expect.
On Comelit video intercom installs, we offer a 3-year guarantee on Comelit material and a 1-year guarantee on service and labor. Other brands come with the manufacturer’s warranty.
We install video intercoms in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island, and Long Island. Our office is at 1541 E 46th Street in Brooklyn.
Call (212) 262-2820 or use the form on this page. Tell us about your property and what you need, and we’ll schedule a free site survey.